Sign carrying windmill construction



y 1958 E. J. KIES SIGN CARRYING WINDMILL CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 50, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Elliot eLK 138s ATTORNEYS May 6, 1958 E. J. KIES 2,833,065

SIGN CARRYING WINDMILL. CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 30, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet s C INVENTOR.

E lliofi JKies A7 TORNE YS' May 6, 1958 KIES SIGN CARRYING WINDMILL CONSTRUCTION Filed Aug. 30, 1954 H J W :1; W" I) Z;

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 17

IN V EN TOR.

BY E Lliot .IKies ATTORNEYJ United States Patent 2,833,065 v SIGN' CARRYING WINDMILL CGNSTRUC'I EON Elliot J. Kites, Massillon, Ohio, assignor' to The Massillon- Cleveland Akron Sign" Company, Massillon, Ship, a corporation of Ohio Application August 30, B54, Serial No. 452,795 2 Claims. (CI; 40-39) vice it is also desirable to change displays at frequentintervals, such displays frequently being printed cards.

In prior windmill construction utilized for carrying signs or displays, the constructions have been relatively complicated, and have included a substantially great number of different parts.

Such prior constructions have also frequently been provided with bearings which require lubrication at fre-' quent intervals.

Such prior constructions have also been subject to stoppage arising from the cumulative action of the weather, including the action of variations in temperatures, winds, rain, and snow.

The objects of the present invention or discovery include the provision of an improved sign' carrying windmill construction which includes parts which are substantially reduced in number as compared to the number of parts in prior constructions, and which are of simplified construction, and have simplified arrangements and connections with each other, and which include bearings which need little or no lubrication, and in which the bearings are protected from the weather.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the improved sign carrying'windmill' construction, apparatus, parts, combinations, and sub-combinations, which comprise the present invention or discovery, and the nature of whichis set forth in the following general statement, and preferred embodiments of which, together with their mode of use, are set forth in the following description, and which are particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth inthe appended claims forming part hereof.

The nature of the improvements of the present invention ordiscovery may be described ingeneral terms as constituting wind-mill construction including anchorable supportmeans, a bearingframe on the support means, the bearing items including upper and lower laterally extending arms, and an improved wind rotatable drum rotor cpera ti'veiy mounted for rotation between the arms. The improved drum rotor includes upper and lower drum heads, one or more panels connecting. the drum heads, and one or more wind vanes connecting the drum heads. Preferably, the drum heads and panels form a prismatic tube, and the lower drum head may be located within the tube, and mounts a. rotary member of a radial and thrust bearing including another member on a shaft carried by the lower arm of the bearing frame. The upper drum headmay'also be located in the tube and mounts ICE a rotary member of'a radial bearing operating on a shaft carried by the upper arm of the bearing frame.

By way of example, embodiments of the improved sign carrying windmill construction of the present invention. or discovery are illustrated in the accompanying. drawings forming part hereofiand which Fig. 1 is an elevational view with portions broken away and shown in section, illustrating a first embodiment of the improved" sign carrying windmill construction hereof;

Fig. 2 is-a top plan view thereof; 7

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary, sectional view thereof as on line 3-3, Fig. 1, looking in the directions of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view thereof as online 4-4, Fig. 1 looking in the directions of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of lower portions of Fig; l, withv additional bearing parts shown in section;

Fig. 6 is a detached perspective. view showing the top drum head of the first embodiment of the improved windmill construction;

Fig. 7 is a detached perspective view showing one of the panels of the first embodiment of the improved windmill construction;

Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view showing one of the retaining strips of'the first embodiment of the improved windmill construction; I

Fig. 9 is a perspective view showing a second embodiment of the improved sign carrying windmill construction hereof, in which the'wind vanes are angled for producing rotation reverse to that of the rotation of the rotor of the first embodiment;

Fig. 10 is an elevational view with portions broken away and shown in section, illustrating a third embodiment of the improved sign carrying windmill construction hereof;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view thereof;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one of the lower corners of Fig. 11, portions being broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 13 is an enlargedfragmentary vertical sectional view, as on line lit-13, Fig, 11, looking in the directionof the arrows;

Fig. 14' is an enlarged fragmentary view of one of the lower corners of Fig. 10;

Fig; 15 is a detached perspective view showing the top drum head of the third embodiment of the improved windmill construction;

Fig. 16 is a detached perspective view showing one of the panels of the third embodiment of the improved windmill construction; and

Fig. 17 is a detached perspective view showing one of the retaining and flange connecting members of the third embodiment of the improved windmill construction.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views. i

The improved sign carrying windmill construction 10 includes anchorable support means 11 constituted, as shown, by a post 12 having a lower end, not shown, adapted for anchorage in the ground or on other-suitable foundation or base.

A hearing frame 13' is supported on the post 12. As shown, the bearing frame constitutes a C-bracket including a back 13-1 from the opposite ends of which there extend lateral shaft mounting arms 13-2 and 13-3. The back 13-1 extends alongside the post 12, and is secured thereto, as by a pair of band clamp means 14. The arm 13-2 is the upper arm as shown, and has formed therein an upper shaft-receiving. opening 15; and the arm 13-3 is the lower arm as shown, and has formed thereina shaft-receiving opening 16 An upper stub shaft 17a has an elongated lower bearr Mt ing section 17a-1, and an upper threaded end section I 17a-2. The upper threaded shaft end section 1711-2 extends through opening 15 in the upper shaft mounting arm 13-2, and is connected therewith by opposed top and bottom nuts 18 and 19 screwed on the shaft upper end section 17a-2 against opposite top and bottom faces of the upper arm 13-2. Similarly, a lower stub shaft 17b has an elongated upper bearing section 17b-1, and a lower threaded end section 17b-3. The lower threaded shaft end section 17b-3 extends through opening 16 in the lowershaft mounting arm 13-3, and is connected therewith by opposed top and bottom nuts 20 and 21 screwed on the shaft lower end section 17b-3 against opposite top and bottom faces of the lower arm 13-3.

An improved wind actuatable drum rotor 22 is rotat ably supported on the lower stub shaft 17b, and is rotatable on the upper stub shaft 17a. The drum rotor 22 includes an upper drum head 23a, a lower drum head 23b, and a plurality of panels 24 extending between and connected with the drum heads. I

Each drum head 23a and 23b is preferably of identical construction, but inverted with respect to each other in the assembled drum rotor 22, as shown on Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive.

In Fig. 6, the drum head 23a is shown as a separate part before being incorporated in the drum rotor 22, and includes a fiat web 23-1 having a polygonal perimeter which is triangular as shown, and includes three side border edges 23-2 making junction with each other at three apexes or corners 23-3. 1

At each side border edge 23-2 of the web 23-1, there is located a connector flange 23-4 having an exterior face 23-5 which isperpendicular to the plane determined by the side border edges 23-2. As shown, the drum head 23a is a one-piece sheet metal part. Each flange 23-4 extends substantially the entire length of the side border edge 23-2 with which it is connected; and each flange 23-4 preferably has formed therein, a plurality of connector openings 23-6, preferably internally threaded or threadable, or provided with screw thread engaging tangs.

. The web 23-1 has formed therein a central bearing free border edge 24-4 extending between junctions at corners 24-5 and 24-6, respectively, with the drum head connecting border edges 24-2.

A wind vane 24-7 is located at and connected to the border edge 24-3 of the web 24-1. Preferably, the wind vane.24-7 extends the entire length of the border edge 24-3, and is angled with respect to the web 24-1.

As shown, the panel 24 is a one-piece sheet metal part. The wind vane 24-7, as shown is constituted by two plies 24-7a and 24-7b of sheet metal, The dihedral angle between the web 24-1 and the vane 24-7 is concave on one side, and the ply 24-7b is on the concave side. Adjacent the corners 24-3, the ply 24-7b has formed thereon a retaining flange 24-7b-1, which formsa right dihedral angle with the vane 24-7. p i

The web 24-1 of the panel 24 has one face 24-1-1, which is a face ofsaid concave dihedral angle, and another face 24-1- which is a face of the opposite convex dihedral angle between the web 24-1 and the vane 24-7.

At eachedge 24-2 of the web 24-1, there is located and r connected a retaining flange24-8which is spaced from.

and extends over the border portion of theweb face 24-1-2.

The flanges 24-8 extend towards each other, and spaced from their inner edges, each adjacent border portion'of the web 24-1 has formed therein a plurality of connector openings 24-9 registerable with the connector openings 23-6 in one of the flanges 23-4 of one of the drum heads 23a or 23b.

The wind vane 24-7 has formed therein a plurality of connector openings 24-10. In Fig. 8, a retaining strip 25 is shown as a separate part before being incorporated in the drum rotor 22, and is a length of a formed sheet metal strip having an angle cross-section, and including longitudinally extending legs 25-1 and 25-2 making junction with each other at an apex or corner 25-3. The dihedral angle between the legs 25-1 and 25-2 is concave or acute on one side, and has the same magnitude as the concave or acute angle between the wind vane 24-7 and the flat web 24-1 of one of the panels 24. The leg 25-1 has a transverse. width greater than the transverse width of the leg 25-2, and the leg 25-1 hasformcd therein a plurality of connector openings 25-4 registerable with the connector openings 24-10 of one of the wind vanes 24-7, in the assembled drum rotor 22. The length of the retaining strip 25 is substantially equal to the length of the vane 24-7 with which it may be separably associated. The transverse spacing of each opening 25-4 from the corner 25-3 of the strip 25 is slightly greater than the transverse spacing of each opening 24-10 in a wind vane 24-7 from the adjacent corner 24-3 of the panel 24 including the particular wind vane.

In the assembled drum rotor 22, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the upper drum head 23a has its connector flanges 23-4 extending upwardly, and the lower drum head 23b has its connector flanges 23-4 extending downwardly. Each connector flange 23-4 at the upper drum head 23a has its exterior face 23-5 in the same plane as the exterior face 23-5 of the lower drum head 23b. The exterior faces 23-5 of each co-planar set, are abutted by the interior face 24-1-1 of the web 24-1 of one of the panels 24. The top set of connector openings 24-9 of the panel 24 register with the set of connector openings 23-6 in the abutted flange 23-4 of the upper drum head 23a, and a screw 26 extends through each opening 24-9 and is screwed in the registered opening 23-6. Each panel 24 and the lower drum head 2312 are similarly connected.

There is thus formed a triangular tube in which the free border edge 24-4 of each panel 24 is overlapped by the retaining flange 24-7b-1 of the adjacent panel 24, the wind vanes 24-7 extending at similar angles with respect to the adjacent panel exterior faces 24-1-2, from the corners of thetriangular parallelepiped constituted by the exterior panel faces 24-1-2.

Each retaining strip 25 is separably secured to one of the wind vanes 24-7 by screws 27 each extending through an opening 25-4 in the retaining strip leg 25-1 and being screwed into a registering opening 24-10 in the vane, the inner face of the leg 25-1 abutting the exterior face of the ply 24-7a of the vane, and the leg 25-2 being spaced from and extending over a border band of the face 24-1-2 of the panel web 24-1.

In the construction of each panel 24 and connected vane 24-7 and separable retaining strip 25, as above described, the flanges 24-8 form with border top and bottom bands of the panel face 24-1-2, oppositely opening card receiving top and bottom grooves; and the flange 24-7b-1 and inner corner band of the vane ply 24-7a and the side band of the panel web face 24-1-2 adjacent the free edge 24-4, form a side stop groove for one side edge of a card inserted between the top and bottom grooves and covering the panel web face 24-1-2. The retaining strip 25, when connected with its vane 24-7, as above described, serves to retain a card placed in the grooves and over the panel web 24-1, as above described.

Such a card, not shown, may contain any desired display figures and text. It is noted, however, that display figures and text may be directly painted or transferred upon the panel web faces 24-1-2. In any case, the display figures and text are easily changed.

The drum rotor 22 is preferably rotatably supported on the bearing section 17b-1 of the lower stub shaft 17b, by improved radial and thrust bearing means 28, best shown in Fig. 5, and which includes an upper bearing member 28-1 having a shank 28-2 extending through and fitting the bearing mounting opening 23-! of the web 23-1 of the lower drum head 23/). The bearing member 28-1 includes an enlarged thrust head 28-3 on the under-side of the web' 23-1 and has associated therewith a separable split retaining ring 29 on the upper side of the web 23-1. The bearing member 28-1 has a bore 284 in which is journalled the bearing section 17b-1' of the lower stub shaft 17b. The under face 23-5 of the head 28-3 constitutes a thrust bearing face, and'is' preferably convex as shown. The bearing member 28-1 may be made of a desired suitable metal, metallic composition, wood, non-metallic composition, or' synthetic material such as'nylon.

Below the upper bearing member 28-1, there is located and supported on the lower stub shaft bearing section 17b-1, a lower bearing'member 28-6 constituting a thrust ring having an upper convex thrust bearing face 28-7 abutting the lower thrust bearing face 28-5 of the upper bearing member 28-1. Means supporting the lower bearing member 28-6 on the shaft 17b, as shown, are constituted by a cotter pin 30 located in a cotter pin receiving transverse bore in the shaft 17b.

The lower bearing section 17a-1 of 'the upper stub shaft 17a extends through the bearing mounting opening 23-7 of the web 23-1 of the upper drum head 23a. Preferably, as shown, one of the bearing members 28-1 is journalled on the upper shaft bearing section 17a-1 and has its shank 28-2 fitted in the opening 23-7.

In operation, the drum rotor 22 of the improved sign carrying windmill construction is caused torotate about the vertical axis of the vertically aligned shafts 17a and 17b by impingement of wind or air currents against the angled faces of each vane 24-7 and adjacent vertical portionof the panel web face 24-1-2, which form a vertical groove or pocket in which the air pressure builds up and applies a torque on the rotor 22'.

In Fig. 9, there is shown a second embodiment 10-1 of the improved sign carrying windmill construction; which is identical with the construction 10, with the exception that the rotor 22 is inverted, and the drum head 23a is at the bottom, thereby reversing the directional angulation of the vanes 24-7 with respect to the panel faces 24-1-2' and causing rotation of the drum rotor 22 in the construction Ill-I in a direction opposite to that of the rotation of the rotor 22 in the construction 10.

It is notedthat the flanges 23-5 of the heads 23a and 23b, may be similarly curved if desired, and the-panel webs 24-1 likewise similarly curved.

It is also noted that a one-piece shaft may be substituted for the shafts 17a and 17b.

In the above described improved sign carryingrwindmill construction 10, it is noted that the'number of different sheet metal parts are limited to three: that is the drum heads 23a and 23b, which are identical; the panels 24; and the retaining strips 25. g

It is also noted that the drum rotor structure constitutes a tube having a polygonal cross-section, and that the drum head webs are located within the tube, thereby providing an improved appearance for the construction, and protecting the lower bearing means 28 from the weather.

Thus the stated objects of the invention or discovery are attained by the improved construction 10.

The third embodiment of the improved sign carrying windmill construction 110 shown in Figs. 10 to 17, inclusive, may include an anchorable support means, not shown, similar to the support means 11 which is constituted, as shown, by the post 12 having a lower end,

not" shown, adapted for' anchorage in the ground o'r'on other suitable foundation or base.

The windmill construction 110, furthermore includes a bearing frame 113 adapted to be supported on a post such as the post 12. As shown, the bearing frame constitutes a C-bracket including a back 113-1 from the opposite ends or" which there extend lateral shaft mounting arms 113-2 and 113-3. The back 113-1 may extend alongside the post on which it is mounted, and may be secured thereto, as by a pair of band clamp means, not shown, such as the band clamp means 14. The arm 113-2 is the upper arm as shown, and has formed therein an upper shaft-receiving opening. 115; and the arm 113-3 is the lower arm as shown, and has'formed therein a shaft-receiving opening 116.

An upper stub shaft 117a has an elongated lower bearing section 117a-1, and an upper threaded end section 117a-2. The upper threaded shaft'end section 11711-2 extends through opening 115 in the upper shaft mounting arm 113-2, and is connected therewith by opposed top and bottom nuts 118 and 119 screwed on the shaft upper end section 1'17a-2 against opposite top and bottom faces of the upper arm 113-2. Similarly, a lower stub shaft 117b has an elongated upper bearing section 117b-1, and a lower threaded end section 11717-3. The lower threaded shaft end section 117b-3 extends through opening 116 in the lower shaft mounting arm 113-3, and is connected therewith by opposed top and bottom nuts 120 and 121 screwed on the shaft lower end section 117b-3 against opposite'top and bottom faces of the lower arm 113-3.

An improved wind actuatable drum rotor 122 is rotatably supported on the lower stud shaft 11712, and is rotatable on the upper stub shaft 117a. The drum rotor 122 includes an upper drum head 123a, a lower drum head 123b, and a plurality of panels 124 extending between and connected with the drum heads.

Each drum head 123a and 123b is preferably of identical construction, but inverted with respect to each other in the assembled drum rotor 122, as shown on Figs. 10 to 14, inclusive.

In Fig. 15, the drum head 123a is shown as a separate part before being incorporated in the drum rotor 122, and includes a flat web 123-1 having a polygonal perimeter which is generally triangular as shown, and includes three side border edges'123-2 terminating at opposite ends-in three straight corner faces 123-3.

At each side border edge 123-2 of the web 123-1, there is located a connector flange 123-4 having an exterior face 1'23-5' which is perpendicular tothe plane determined by the side border edges 123-2. As shown, the drum head 123a is a one-piece sheet metal part. Each flange 123-4 extends substantially the entire length of the side border edge 123-2 with which it is connected.

The web 123-1 preferably has formed therein, a plurality of connector openings 123-6; one adjacent each corner face 123-3; and the web 123-1 has'formed therein a central bearing mounting opening 123-7.

In Fig: 16, one of the panels 124 is shown as a separate part before beingtincorporated in the drum rotor 122, and includes a flat web 124-1 having a polygonal perimeter which is rectangular as shown, and includes parallel spaced drum head connecting end flanges 124-2 at the end edges of the web 124-1, and a wind vane side flange 124-3 and a parallel wind vane side flange 124-4 extending longitudinally at the side edges of the web 124-1.

Each of the wind vane flanges 124-3 and 124-4 is angled with respect to the web 124-1, which has an exterior face 124-1-2. The flange 124-3 extends rearwardly from the web face 124-1-2 at an exterior angle of 210, and the flange 124-4 extends forwardly from the web face 124-1-2 at an included exterior angle of 90".

Each of the flanges 124-3 and 124-4 has formed there in a plurality of equally spaced apertures 124-5, and

' each of the flanges 124-2 has formedtherein corner apertures 124-6. a

In Fig.17, a wind vane cover' and card retaining strip 125 is shown as a separate part before being incorporated in the drum rotor 122. The strip 125 is a formed sheet metal strip including an outer wind vane cover leg 1251""arid an inner parallel wind vane cover leg 125-2 extending rearwardly from a forward U-bend edge 125-3. The outer leg 125-1 makes junction at an outer corner 125-4 with a retaining flange leg 125-5, and the inner leg 125-2 makes junction at an inner corner 125-6 with a retaining flange ,leg 125-7. The exterior angle between the outer cover leg 125-1 and the retaining flange leg 125-5 is 210, and the included angle between the inner cover leg 125-2 and the retaining flange leg 125-7 is 99.

The parallel wind vane cover legs 125-1 and 1255-2 are spaced from each other a distance slightly greater than the combined thickness of a panel flange 124-3 and a panel flange 124-4, and as hsown each has the same thickness.

The legs 125-1 and 125-2 have formed therein a plurality of opposite snaphcads 125-8 which aline with each other in .pairs, and'the pairs of heads 125-8 are spaced the same as the spacing of the apertures 124-5 in the panel flanges 124-3 and 124-4.

In the assembled drum rotor 122, as shown in Figs. 10 to 14, inclusive, the flange 124-3 of each panel abuts the flange 124-4012' the adjacent panel, and the cover legs 125-1 and 125-2 of one of the strips 125, overlie respectively theflanges 124-3 and 124-4 of each pair of abutting flanges.

The apertures 124-5 of each pair of abutting flanges 124-3 and 124-4 register with each other and are engaged by the snap heads 125-8 on the cover flanges 125-1 and 125-2. 7

At the upper end of the drum rotor 122, the drum head 123a covers the upper ends of the panels 124. At each corner, one of the ends of one of the panel flanges 124-2 overlaps the adjacent end of the adjacent panel flange 124-2, jthe apertures 1.24-6 registering with each other, and with one of the corner drum head connector openings or apertures 123-6, and a screw 127, which as shown is selfthreading, is screwed into each set of corner registering apertures 124-6 and 123-6.

In a similar manner, the drum head 123b is connected to the lower ends of the panels.

In the assembled drum rotor 122, the drum head flanges 123-4 are spaced from the panel faces 124-1-2, as are the strip flange legs 125-5, and 125-7, thus forming card retaining grooves at the borders of each panel 124.

In other respects, the windmill construction 110, as shown is thesame as the windmill construction 10.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for: brevity, clearness, and understanding but no unample, and the scope of the present invention or discovery is not limited to the exact details of construction set forth.

Havingnow described the invention or discovery, the construction, I the operation, and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Construction for a windmill and the like, including anchorable support means, a rotor, bearing and shaft means operatively mounting the rotor on the support means for rotation about an axis, the rotor including nc' (is spaced from each other in the direction of the axis of rotation, each head including a plurality of connector members spaced radially from the axis of rotation, a plurality ofyanes extending between the heads, means connecting each vane with a connector member on each head; a panel located adjacent each vane and forming a dihedral angle therewith, each panel and one adjacent vaneconstituting a one-piece formation, each panel extending between and being connected with the heads, the panels forming a transversely closed tubc coaxial with the axis of rotation, each head constituting a drum head closing one end portion of the transversely closedstube, each drum head including a web spaced intermediate the ends of the panels in the direction of the axis of rotation, each panel having a U-shaped flange at opposite ends for separately retaining a display card on the .panel, and the bearing and shaft means including a member carried by each drum head web.

2. Rotor construction for a windmill and the like including heads spaced from each other in thedirection of an axis of rotation, each head including a plurality of connector members spaced radially from the axis of rotation, a plurality of vanes extending between the heads,

'means connecting each vane with a connector member on each head; a panel located adjacent each vane and forming a dihedral angle therewith, each panel and one adjacent vane consisting a one-piece formation, each panel extending between and being connected with the heads, the panels forming a transversely closed tube co-axial with the axis of rotation, each head constituting a drum head closing one end portion of the transversely closed tube, each drum head including a web spaced intermediate the ends of the panels in the direction of the axis of rotation, each panel having a U-shaped flange at opposite endsfor separately retaining a display card on the panel, and a bearing member carried by each head,

References Cited in the file of this patent I UNITED STATES PATENTS 708,628 Elliott Sept. 9, 1902 932,120 Grove Aug. 24, 1909 938,710 Russell NOV. 2, 1909 983,684 Clapp Feb. 7,-1911 1,825,564 Whitlow Sept. 29, 1931 1,954,721 Whitlow Apr. 10, 1954 1,974,597 Berning et a]. Sept. 25, 1954 

